07/23/2026
Blackford hosted it's 2nd annual Summer Classic tournament last weekend, that was a huge success. The Bruins represented well, appearing in two out of the three championship games. Here a little recap for everyone.
-Blackford’s 8U All Star team put together an incredible tournament weekend, finishing 4-1 and earning the tournament runner-up title in the Blackford Summer Classic. They took down Berne, Centerville, Kokomo, and Columbia City before being defeated by the Indy Alliance who had players from the Tipton and Elwood area.
The bats stayed hot all weekend, as the Bruins’ offense shined in every matchup. The team was able to reach base 96 times and score 60 runs. Marlee Bell earned Offensive MVP honors on the team after leading the Bruins at the plate with clutch hits and a standout performance throughout the tournament reaching base 13 times with an on base average of .923. Also adding to the Bruin success were Athena Ahern, Brayleigh Dudding, Caydence Dick, and Phinleigh Langdon who all reached base above .800 on the weekend.
Defensively, the Bruins were sharp, turning routine plays into outs and keeping pressure on their opponents. They were able to record 47 outs total. Pitcher Brayleigh Dudding earned Bruins’ Defensive MVP honors after anchoring the defense. She recorded 20 putouts by connecting with first baseman Athena Ahern and added seven fly-ball catches in the circle. Lucy Walter showcased her versatility at shortstop with a well-rounded defensive performance, recording two fly-ball catches, connecting twice with Emma Burns on 6-5 putouts at third base, and completing a strong throw to first base for an additional out. Second Basemen Caydence Dick also had a solid day, catching one fly ball and firing eight successful throws to first base for outs.
The 8U team will finish out their summer by traveling to Upland for the Eastbrook All Star Tournament, July 23-26. They are scheduled to play Eastbrook on Thursday at 6pm and South Adams Friday at 6pm.
-The 10U Lady Bruins had a slow, rough start in pool play. The bats were slow and pitching was off, earning them one of the bottom seeds. Fast forward to tournament Sunday, the girls came to redeem themselves. Early Sunday morning the Bruins took the field with a winning mindset. With a strong defense at her back in the first game versus Frankton. Audrey C***s started in the circle. She surrendered zero runs, zero hits, and struck out six in three innings. Kenley Dyer came in for relief putting the nail in the coffin striking out all three in the final inning. The Bruin offense overpowered the Eagles defense with every player having at least one hit, and all reaching base. Daphne Ahern led the offense going 2-2 while driving in three runs.
The second game of the day the Bruins would look to avenge their day one loss to the Bluffton Tigers. Maddie Ort had a strong showing on the mound. The young hurler allowed only a single hit and run, while striking out eleven in four innings. The score remained a stagnant 2-1 after the first inning until Braxleigh Sunderman doubled to left field scoring one, and making the score 3-1 heading into the final inning. Three walks from Daphne Ahern, Remi Fields, Audrey C***s, a single from Quinley Gephart, and triple to right field from Maddie Ort put the game out of reach. The Bruins would win 7-1 and head to the championship.
Late Sunday afternoon the Bruins would once again take the field to face the Berne Bears. After a hard fought, well played game by both teams. The Lady Bruins would fall one run short, losing 3-4 as time expired. Tori Roberts, MaeLynn Folkerth, Quinley Gephart and Remi Fields all had solid offensive performances for the Bruins. Attitudes and effort were high all day. Though still recovering from injury. Ellie Barnes stood by her team all day, being the engine of enthusiasm. Proving that you can absolutely influence a game from the sidelines. The entire day was a great showing of character from the ladies, and their effort was something we are all proud of.
-Blackford’s 12U All Star team experienced a roller coaster weekend of highs and lows, finishing the tournament with a 1-2 record. The Bruins played short-handed Friday vs. Berne, falling to the Bears 4-8 before roaring back Saturday morning with an 18-8 win over Ole Miss in pool play. Sunday the Bruins were brought down by tournament runners-up Kokomo 15-2.
Brinleigh Roberts was the MVP of the weekend for the Bruins. Her first at-bat of the weekend was a stand up double that rocketed off the left field fence. She stayed hot hitting, going 5-6 with 5 runs scored and 3 RBIs. Roberts was solid defensively for the Bruins behind the plate, catching all 3 games and making several plays. Offensive MVP honors go to Charlotte Trant. She also went 5-6 for the weekend with a double, 3 runs scored and 3 RBIs. Maliyah Beaty had a good eye all weekend, reaching base 5 times on walks and scoring 4 times. Parker Michael was the RBI Queen, bringing in 4 runs. Eloise Walter added a double, going 2-4 at the plate with 2 RBIs and scoring 3 runs. She recorded 13 strikeouts in 7 ⅔ innings of work on the mound.
The young 12U Bruins have a promising future, with 10 of the 12 players on the team eligible to return next season. The team finished with an overall 9-13-1 record. Coach Walter is extremely proud of the work the girls put in this season and would like to thank the players, parents, and everyone else who supported the team this season.
